CES MEDIA ALERT

With new trainer and new outlook, Biosse faces tall task May 17^thin Twin River homecoming

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (May 14th, 2013) -- These last few weeks have been like a midterm cram-session for Vladine Biosse, except this fighter is no wide-eyed freshman.

The popular super middleweight, dubbed "Mr. Providence" by his hometown fans, is working with new trainer Paul Andrade for the first time as he prepares for Friday's showdown against Latif Mundy (10-5, 4 KOs) at Twin River Casino. Like any new relationship between a fighter and his trainer, this one is a work in progress, so Biosse (14-2-1, 7 KOs) will lean heavily on his own experience in Friday's eight-round co-feature while implementing as much of Andrade's game plan as possible.

"I'm learning things I never knew before," Biosse said. "My mind is expanding. I'm just soaking it all in."

The Biosse-Mundy fight is one of nine on Friday's card, promoted by Jimmy Burchfield's Classic Entertainment & Sports. "The New Era" also features the eight-round main event between undefeated female bantamweight Shelito Vincent (8-0) of Providence and South Carolina's Angel Gladney (8-7-1, 6 KOs) for the vacant Women's International Boxing Association (WIBA) International title.

Tickets for "The New Era" are $41.00, $76.00, and $126.00 (VIP) and can be purchased by calling CES at 401.724.2253/2254, online at www.shop.cesboxing.com or www.twinriver.com, at the Players Club booth at Twin River, or through any TicketMaster location. Doors open 6 p.m. with the first bout scheduled for 7.

After losing to Marcus Upshaw in January, Biosse decided to make changes within his camp. Andrade, the father of former Olympian and Providence native Demetrius Andrade, replaced Orlondo Valles, who trained Biosse from the start. The opportunity to add a new voice and expand his network intrigued Biosse.

"I really didn't want to leave Orlondo," Biosse said. "I wanted to add another point of view. He and I have worked together since 2007. He started me off. I didn't even know how to throw a punch before I worked with him. Nothing against his style, or his ability to train, but I reached the point where I felt I was at a standstill, and you should never feel stagnant in anything you do in life.

"He wanted to do it his way, and I wanted to do it the way I felt comfortable doing it. No hard feelings - we just parted ways."

Upon working with Andrade, Biosse spent two weeks in California last month training and sparring at the infamous King's Boxing Gym in Oakland, the home of undefeated super middleweight champion Andre Ward and countless other pros.

"It was an eye-opener," he said. "Sometimes when you're in this game you get so close-minded about things and you don't get the understanding of what goes on elsewhere until you go there yourself and witness what goes down at a world championship level. Seeing how it's done firsthand is awesome - very motivating. Sometimes it's what you need to get back on track."

In order to shake off the loss to Upshaw in January, Biosse will need to take care of business Friday against the dangerous Mundy, a tough Philadelphia native who's gone toe-to-toe with some of the elite middleweights in boxing, including Ossie Duran, Matt Korobov andPatrick Majewski. This will be Biosse's first fight at Twin River since he dominated fellow Providence native Joey Spina almost one year to the date in May of 2012.

"There's nothing better than being in Rhode Island and fighting in front of your fans," Biosse said. "This guy is a tough fighter. He comes right at you. He's a skilled fighter - a very tough fighter - and I take nothing away from him. I know he's coming to win. So am I."

The undercard features seven bouts, most of which are regional showdowns, starting with Pawtucket, R.I., middleweight Thomas Falowo (9-1, 7 KOs) stepping up to face undefeated power-puncherTylon Burris (5-0, 3 KOs) of Hartford, Conn., in a six-round bout. Super middleweight Rich Gingras (12-3, 8 KOs) of Attleboro, Mass., a former contestant on The Contender reality television series, will battle the red-hot Joey Gardner (11-5-1, 1 KO) of Woonsocket, R.I., in a six-round bout.

The always-busy Falowo, who's known for throwing a high volume of punches from start to finish, will have his hands full with Burris, who has raised eyebrows in New England following an impressive knockout win over previously-unbeaten light heavyweight prospect Kevin Cobbs in November. Falowo has won his last three bouts, all by knockout, since suffering his first loss in May of 2012.

The Gingras-Gardner showdown came to fruition after Providence's Alex Amparo was forced to withdraw from his scheduled rematch with Gardner due to a rib injury. Gardner, who has won his last three fights, will instead face Gingras, a former cruiserweight now looking to make his mark in the super middleweight division.

Also on the undercard, Boston's Maceo Crowder (2-0, 1 KO), the half-brother of former U.S. Olympian and Providence native Demetrius Andrade, will return from a three-year absence to face Harwich, Mass., veteran Paul Gonsalves (4-3, 3 KOs) in a four-round super middleweight bout; and welterweight Jon Smith (1-0) of Cranston, R.I., will battle newcomer Oscar Diaz of Hartford, Conn., in a four-round bout. In a six-round special attraction, former Cranston amateur standout Nick DeLomba will make his professional debut against Portland, Maine native Jimmy Smith (0-0-0); the latter is returning to the ring for the first time in more than a year after his debut was cut short due to an accidental head butt. Smith and DeLomba faced one another twice as amateurs with each fighter winning once.

Hyannis, Mass., heavyweight Jesse Barboza (5-1-1, 3 KOs) will take on West New York, N.J., challenger Phillip Triantafillo (2-2, 1 KO) in a four-round bout, and Springfield, Mass., welterweight Zack Ramsey (3-0, 3 KOs) will return to face Hyannis' Robert Brando-Hunt (0-3) in a four-round bout. All fights and fighters are subject to change.

CES is proud to announce its May 17^th event will be held in honor of those affected by the recent Boston Marathon bombings, along with all the first responders, fire fighters and law-enforcement officials who worked tirelessly in the aftermath of such a senseless tragedy. On May 17^th, "This one's for Boston!"

Also on May 17^th, former New England Patriots fullback and three-time Super Bowl champion Patrick Pass will receive the CES Special Recognition Award, and an additional ceremony will be held in memory of the late Matthew Cariglio Sr., a dear friend of the Classic Entertainment & Sports family.

Three-time world title challenger and former reality television star Peter Manfredo Jr., "The Pride Of Providence," will also be on hand beginning at 6 p.m. for a special meet-and-greet outside the arena. Manfredo Jr. will also provide televised color commentary alongside play-by-play host Patrick Sullivan.

Twin River Casino is an exciting gaming, dining and entertainment destination, located in Lincoln, R.I., just 45 minutes from Boston and 10 minutes from Providence. Twin River features more than 4,700 slotmachines, many virtual gaming options with black jack and roulette tables and more. This unique gaming facility also hosts simulcasting of the best thoroughbred and greyhound racing from around the country, a 29,000-plus square foot Twin River Event Center with headline entertainment, the legendary Catch a Rising Star Comedy Club, free concerts at the Lighthouse Bar, Fred & Steve's Steakhouse and Wicked Good Bar & Grill, as well as 13 other dining outlets.